Chapter 452: Troubled Waters [4][Bonus Chapter]
The Storm Reapers stiffened. A few chuckled, amused by her defiance, while others instinctively gripped their weapons, their bodies taut like coiled springs.
Adrian's smirk widened, though his gaze turned colder. "I was hoping you'd say that."
I don't have to fight them, Akira thought as she gripped her weapon tightly. I just need to buy time and make a break for it.
"Tell me, Valkyrie, even if this so-called Nox exists," Adrian continued, his voice smooth as the sea before a storm, "why should we care? Why should we allow you access to our kingdom?"
Akira tilted her head slightly. "You may not care," she said, "but you stand in my way."
A slow chuckle left Adrian's lips. "So that's how it is."
The Storm Reapers tensed. They knew that tone.
Akira raised her sword slightly—not in outright aggression, but ready. "I won't ask you to move. If you stand against me, I'll break through."
The air grew heavier.
A pulse ran through the ocean, a response to Adrian's growing amusement.
"Confident." His smirk widened, flashing sharp teeth. "Do you even know where you are?"
He lifted a hand.
FWOOOSH!
A whirlpool of water exploded into existence behind him, spiraling violently.
"You're in my domain."
Akira's body twitched slightly, but she refused to let her anxiety show on her face. She needed to continue the facade for a bit longer. And so, with a provocative smile, she stepped forward.
"And yet, I'm still standing here."
Adrian let out an exhale, almost a laugh. "Brave words, Valkyrie." His gaze darkened. "Let's see if you can back them up."
Then he moved.
BOOM!
The whirlpool of water before him surged forward, taking the form of countless sharp projectiles.
A water magi— Akira barely completed her thought before the sharp water projectiles—each tip capable of piercing metal—surged toward her.
"Fast!" she mumbled as she swung her blade fiercely, cutting them all down with surprising ease.
A legendary sword sure has its perks, she thought, briefly glancing at the sword she had stolen from the Valhalla treasury before coming here. She could have gone for a higher-ranked sword; however, this was the only one she could steal, as the others were heavily secured, with only the queen having access to them.
"Hahaha! Has it started? They're actually fighting!" Back on the deck of the ships, the soldiers whispered excitedly.
"It seems only the captain will go against her."
"Are we just going to stand here and watch?" One of the Storm Reapers frowned as he watched the battle unfold.
"That seems like it," another replied in a disappointed tone. "The captain seems to be enjoying himself."
Meanwhile...
Without warning, the ocean roared again, responding to Adrian's unspoken command. Waves surged against the ship, and tendrils of water slithered onto the deck, forming jagged spears aimed at Akira.
A flick of his wrist, and the ocean answered. The waves surged unnaturally fast, crashing against the ship's hull with a deep, guttural roar. In an instant, a dozen water spears materialized in the air, glistening like shards of liquid glass.
Akira's pupils narrowed.
Adrian didn't hesitate—he thrust his arm forward.
The water spears howled as they tore through the air, closing in on Akira from every direction. A normal fighter wouldn't have even seen them coming.
But Akira wasn't normal.
BOOM!
The deck exploded as Akira moved, her body twisting through the barrage with inhuman precision. The spears slammed into the wood, puncturing deep holes where she had been moments ago.
Akira landed smoothly, not a single scratch on her.
Adrian arched a brow. "Not bad."
He snapped his fingers.
The shattered spears turned to mist—then instantly reformed into chains of water, lunging for Akira's limbs like living serpents.
This time, she couldn't dodge.
The chains wrapped around her wrists and ankles, yanking her down to her knees.
"Did you think dodging would be enough?" Adrian's voice was casual, but there was a sharp edge to it. "You're standing in my domain. The sea bends to my will."
The air around them crackled as the waves churned wildly, responding to his power. The once-calm ocean was now a writhing beast, under Adrian's complete control.
Akira clenched her jaw, testing the restraints. They didn't budge.
Adrian exhaled slowly, then raised his hand once more. The ocean quivered in response.
CRASH!
A towering wave rose behind him, rising higher, higher—until it loomed over the entire deck like an open maw, ready to swallow everything whole.
The soldiers on the warships watching from afar felt their stomachs drop.
"He's not playing around," one muttered.
"Of course not," another grinned. "He's Adrian. This is his battlefield."
Adrian let his gaze drop back to Akira.
"You should've stayed beneath the water," he said, his tone almost regretful. "It would've been a gentler end."
And then he brought his hand down.
The wave obeyed.
It collapsed.
A wall of water crashed onto the ship with terrifying force, swallowing Akira completely. The deck groaned under the sheer pressure, the wooden planks shattering easily.
For several long seconds, nothing could be seen—just the raging torrent of the sea, twisting and churning.
Then—silence.
Adrian let out a quiet breath, lowering his arm.
"It's over," he murmured.
But before he could turn away—
Drip.
A single droplet fell from above.
Then another.
Then—a shadow burst forth from the flood.
Adrian's eyes widened as Akira shot out of the water, her entire body wreathed in a strange, pulsing energy.
The chains had been shattered.
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Her bright violet eyes glowed fiercely, her expression still eerily calm.
"You talk too much," Akira said flatly.
Adrian barely had time to react before a pair of radiant wings burst from her back, and with one mighty flap—
BOOM!
A shockwave blasted through the air as Akira's body shot upward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring.
"The ocean is your domain, right? Then the sky is my domain. Catch me if you can!" she declared, flying toward the fleet of ships near the Vermilion Kingdom. Her goal was to fly past the ships and force her way into the kingdom.
But Adrian didn't plan to just sit back and watch.
He rolled his shoulders, then his eyes glowed with a milky radiance.
And something spectacular began to unfold before everyone's eyes.
Even Akira, high in the air, felt her breath hitch as she saw it.
Despair began to rise in her heart.
***
This Bonus Chapter was sponsored by Kyle_Hilbert. Thank you for the castle!
And I fulfilled my promise! The normal daily chapters will be updated soon! Thanks for reading.